Shortlist revealed for NACFB Commercial Broker Awards 2025
Trade body’s flagship broker awards returns to recognise excellence
The shortlist for the highly anticipated NACFB Commercial Broker Awards 2025 has officially been announced. Now in its sixth year, the ceremony has cemented its place as one of the industry’s few awards dedicated exclusively to brokers – serving as a valued counterpart to the NACFB’s well-established Commercial Lender Awards.
This year’s competition was fiercer than ever, with a record-breaking 357 applications submitted across 24 categories. A panel of expert judges, each a specialist in their field, meticulously reviewed the entries to determine the shortlist. Submissions were evaluated against clearly defined criteria, focusing on excellence, innovation, and a steadfast commitment to the highest professional standards. To ensure impartiality, submissions were anonymised where appropriate. Categories involving only organisations were anonymised, while those featuring individuals or a mix of individuals and firms were not.
Following this rigorous process, the finalists in each category can now be revealed as:
Asset & Leasing Finance Broker of the Year (1 to 3 brokers) sponsored by Ultimate Finance
Causon Business Finance
Claratus Commercial Finance
Hanna Financial Services
Hilton Smythe Finance
KeySME Business Finance
One Funding t/a One.
Synergi Finance
UBT (EU)
Asset & Leasing Finance Broker of the Year (4+ brokers) sponsored by Haydock Finance
Approved Business Finance
Bathgate Business Finance
Bluestone
Charles & Dean Finance
Crown Business Finance
Crystal Business Finance (CBF)
Halo Corporate Finance
Moorgate Finance
PMD Business Finance
Tower Leasing
Buy-to-Let Mortgage Broker of the Year (1 to 3 brokers) sponsored by Paragon
Advanced Funding Solutions
Claratus Commercial Finance
Clever Lending
Drummond Finance
Jonathan Smith & Partners
Newsource
Philip Meek Commercial
Signature Specialist Finance
VIBE Finance
Word On The Street
Buy-to-Let Mortgage Broker of the Year (4+ brokers) sponsored by Keystone Property Finance
Approved Property Finance
Aria Finance
DAS Finance
Hearthstone Finance
Real Finance
SPF Private Clients
Cashflow Finance Broker of the Year (1 to 3 brokers) sponsored by Reward Funding
Choice Business Loans
Claratus Commercial Finance
KeySME Business Finance
MacManus Asset Finance
Rise Funding
Risecap
Synergi Finance
Cashflow Finance Broker of the Year (4+ brokers) sponsored by Funding Circle
Approved Business Finance
Halo Corporate Finance
MHA Financial Solutions
Millbrook Business Finance
NexGen Business Finance
PMD Business Finance
Shire Professional Funding
Leonard Curtis
TSF Finance
Commercial Mortgage Broker of the Year (1 to 3 brokers) sponsored by Cambridge & Counties Bank
Aquilae Capital Advisory
Beta Commercial Finance
Clever Lending
Copper Swan
DMK Finance
Icthus Consultants
Lime Finance Solutions
Montane Finance
Philip Meek Commercial
Ross Commercial Finance
Commercial Mortgage Broker of the Year (4+ brokers) sponsored by Lloyds Bank
Aria Finance
Christie Finance
Leonard Curtis
Propp
Rainstone Money
Think Business Loans
Watts Commercial Finance
Development Finance Broker of the Year (1 to 3 brokers) sponsored by LendInvest
Beta Commercial Finance
Positive Commercial Finance
Eastgate Commercial Finance
Finanze
Q Commercial Finance
Ross Commercial Finance
Wharf Financial
Willow Isle Capital
Development Finance Broker of the Year (4+ brokers) sponsored by LBB
Arc & Co.
Aureum Finance
Christie Finance
Mayflower Mortgage and Finance
Pure Property Finance
Rainstone Money
Real Finance
SPF Private Clients
Invoice Finance Broker of the Year (1 to 3 brokers) sponsored by HSBC
DMK Finance
Evolve Business Finance
Go-Factor
KeySME Business Finance
Open InVoice Finance
Plutus Business Finance
Simply Factoring Brokers
Invoice Finance Broker of the Year (4+ brokers) sponsored by Ultimate Finance
Bathgate Business Finance
Leonard Curtis
PMD Business Finance
TSF Finance
Short-term Finance Broker of the Year (1 to 3 brokers) sponsored by Recognise Bank
177 Structured Finance
Advanced Funding Solutions
Finanze
MacManus Asset Finance
Philip Meek Commercial
Plutus Business Finance
VIBE Finance
Wharf Financial
Willow Isle Capital
Short-term Finance Broker of the Year (4+ brokers) sponsored by Market Financial Solutions
Arc & Co.
Aria Finance
Christie Finance
Crown Business Finance
Futurity Finance
Propp
Swoop Finance
Unsung Hero of the Year sponsored by Close Brothers
Aria Finance – Rob Cooke
Charles & Dean Finance – Marshall Parr
Crystal Business Finance (CBF) – Ele Mathieson
Leonard Curtis – Ellie Woodhouse
Millbrook Business Finance – Jennifer Rees
Tower Leasing – Mickaella Johnson
Watts Commercial Finance – Barbara Curzon
Industry Specialist of the Year sponsored by Allica Bank
A T Commercial Finance
Aecer
Approved Business Finance
CFP Group – Kirsten Jakobson
Crown Business Finance
Gemstone Legal
Plutus Business Finance – Declan Burton Clark
Snowbird Finance
Swedish Asset Finance
Tower Leasing
Rising Star of the Year sponsored by Shawbrook
Aureum Finance – Kieran Payne
Beta Commercial Finance – Jacqui Wright
Canford Specialist Finance – Jenny Old
Causon Business Finance – Alice Sansome
Charles & Dean Finance – Kevin Calkiewicz
Crown Business Finance – Jake Batham
Hearthstone Finance – Jordanne Whiley MBE
LDN Finance – David Gissing
Moorgate Finance – Connor Huntley
Synergi Finance – Chantelle Chambers
VIBE Finance – George Sanford
Industry Ambassador of the Year sponsored by HSBC
Causon Business Finance – Richard Causon
Go-Factor – Helen Boylett-Smith
James Murray Finance – James Murray
Rainstone Money – Foyaz Ahmed
Rainstone Money – Rahul Modasia
The UK Adviser Group – Maxim Cohen
VIBE Finance – Kim McGinley
Commercial Broker Network of the Year sponsored by YBS
Commercial Finance Brokers UK
Fiducia Commercial Network
Moorgate Broker Network
Synergy Commercial Finance
Tower Leasing
White Rose Finance Group
Vaughans
Service Excellence Award sponsored by Aldermore
Alpha Asset Finance – Jack Arbon
BDD Financial Services
Channel Finance Group
Claratus Commercial Finance
Finance 55
Hearthstone Finance – Ajay Nayyar
Lime Finance Solutions
MHA Financial Services
Plutus Business Finance
Watts Commercial Finance
Willow Isle Capital
Pioneering Broker of the Year sponsored by NatWest
Business Finance Trust
Clifton Private Finance
Finanze
GreenHearth
Lime Finance Solutions
Skylark Asset Finance
Spark Finance
Tower Leasing
Scottish National Broker of the Year sponsored by Hampshire Trust Bank
DMK Finance
Drummond Finance
GO Financial Services
Kirkwood Asset Finance
Murray Commercial Finance
Ross Commercial Finance
The Lending Channel
Welsh National Broker of the Year sponsored by Roma Finance
Business Finance Trust
Cyllid Cymru Finance
FFP Solutions
Lifecycle
MacManus Asset Finance
Pure Property Finance
Sorodo
Watts Commercial Finance – James Weaver
Northern Irish National Broker of the Year sponsored by NACFB
Ross Commercial Finance
RM Commercial Finance
Commenting on the announcement, NACFB CEO Jim Higginbotham said: “My congratulations go to all those who were successfully shortlisted. I’d also like to thank every firm that took the time to enter this year’s awards, as well as the judging panel for their dedication to what was undoubtedly a challenging task.”
This year’s judging panel comprised:
Adrian Stalley – Head of Partnerships, Reward Funding
Beth Fisher – Managing Director, Bridging & Commercial
Bob Lefroy – Publisher, Business Money
Edward Peck – Founder, Asset Finance Connect
Frazer Campbell – Co-Founder & Chief Revenue Officer, Brickflow
Gaynor Dykes – Director, British Business Bank
James McGloin – Director of Major Projects, LBB
Jason Hurwitz – Sales Director, NETSOL Technologies
Jennifer Tankard – Principal, Commercial Finance, UK Finance
Jess Bird – Managing Editor, The Intermediary
John Phillipou – Managing Director, SME Lending, Paragon Bank
Josh Harris – CEO, Doc2
Lee Tillcock – Managing Editor, MoneyFacts
Martin McTague – National Chair, Federation of Small Businesses (FSB)
Mike Conroy – Director, Commercial Finance, UK Finance
Paul Hunt – Managing Director, Square 1 Media
Ray Cohen – Director, Jackson Cohen Associates
Robin Skuse – Editor, Broker World
Simon Goldie – Director of Business Finance & Advocacy, Finance & Leasing Association (FLA)
Stephen Henman – Managing Director, Method Valuation
Stephen Todd – Co-Founder, VAS
Theodora Hadjimichael – CEO, Responsible Finance
Todd Davison – Managing Director, Purbeck
Trevor Williams – Co-Founder, FX Guard; Visiting Professor, University of Derby
Vic Jannels – CEO, Bridging & Development Lenders Association (BDLA)
NACFB lender Patrons and supplier Partners will now be invited to cast their votes for their preferred Member brokers across the relevant award categories. To ensure fairness, each Patron or Partner firm is limited to five votes per category. These votes will be combined with scores from the expert judging panel to determine both the winners and the highly commended entries in each category. An algorithm is then used to calculate the final results, blending judges’ scores with the wider industry vote.
The winners will be revealed at an award ceremony which returns to Lancashire Cricket Club, Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester on the afternoon of Friday 19th September 2025. Guests can expect a welcome drink upon arrival followed by a fun-filled afternoon of entertainment and networking, a delectable three-course meal with wine, and of course, the big reveal. This year, the awards will be presented by comedian Jayde Adams.
“We encourage all entrants to join us for an afternoon dedicated to honouring broking excellence,” added Jim Higginbotham. “This event goes beyond celebrating the winners and finalists – it recognises the outstanding commitment of our entire broker community, whose dedication to supporting SMEs in their quest for finance is truly unmatched.”
Exclusive early bird tickets for NACFB Member brokers are available now at £132 +VAT per person. Tables of 10 are available for group bookings. This offer is valid until Monday 18th August 2025, after which Member tickets will be priced at £195 +VAT. Tickets for NACFB Patron lenders and Partners will be released from 19th August, subject to availability, at £220 +VAT.